Inheritance II: Harry's Tower
by Sar'Kalu
Summary: OneShot. The war has ended, and Harry has retreated from the wizarding world to rest and heal from the tragic events of the past years. Upon the highest mountain top, surrounded by glittering snow and picturesque landscape, Harry will reunite with his friend, and bond mate. Slash HP/SS. Revised and edited.


_Dark wings encircled him. Pulled him tighter. Warmth filled him. Love surrounded him. Filled with heat, desire, warmth, concern, and love; the boy turned man, rolled over in his sleep. A smile faintly dancing upon his lips._

Snapping in to wakefulness in between one second and the next, Harry's eyes blazed with alertness. Something was coming. Something wonderful. If his dreams were anything to go by. Sitting up and swinging his long boned legs over the side of his low cot, Harry took in his new room. It had taken his a year or more to finish his tower. Elegantly spired and sturdily built, Harry's tower stood near the top of the world. The cold elegant charm of snow and ice decorated the cool, grey stone, set in the backdrop of the mountainous and beautiful alps. The roof was blue slate and stood out against the clear blue sky like it was a part of the mountain the tower perched upon. It was a masterpiece of construction, fading into the background beautifully, proudly perched as it was upon the tallest mountain.

Gazing about his room, Harry smiled in delight at the simple and joyful turn his life had taken. The war had been hard upon everyone but here and now, he was finally free. And although he was missing his bond mate, it was enough to be away from the hustle and bustle of the wizarding world. His tower was his sanctuary, cold though it was, but even that didn't bother him anymore, he was here, and he was free. His tower he had built with his own hands and magic, dark wood floors covered in a dark blue mat outlined with silver threading. His cot was king sized and piled high with furs and thick cotton sheets. Pillows filled with down adorned the headboard as Harry tidied up from a contented nights rest. The room was naturally circular in shape, with the bed shoved tightly against the northern side of the wall. A large ornate, obsidian fireplace was the only thing adorning the eastern wall, while a spiral staircase wound its way down from the north to the south and disappearing through the floor. There was no railing, after all, Harry being a winged person had no need for them. Along the staircase were the histories of the magical world painted in on long unending montage. Fantastically done it depicted every important event in the magical histories. Creature and wizard.

Crossing the room towards the south, Harry stepped onto the staircase and travelled downstairs to the lower levels towards the kitchens. The kitchen was a large white washed room with dark wood cabinets and green flecked marble tops. Sliding past the rough hewn, heavy table that was simplistically beautiful, Harry prepared his usual breakfast repast of wild oats, barley and yogurt with just a dash of honey to sweeten the bites. The kitchen was situated near the middle of the tower and had a large bay window that was charmed to look like solid stone on the outside. Outside the world began to wake up. Pink and gold threaded the early morning sky, and the mountain birds began to sing. Tranquility was the main reason as to why he was here, he couldn't say he missed the outside world, not when he could wake up in the morning and watch daylight break over the mountains, the sunlight sending golden fingers along icy fields. The birds weren't as harsh sounding as they were in the low lands, their sweet trills often waking him from his healing slumber, and it was more often than not, his custom to lie in his bed and listen to them.

Smiling to himself, Harry washed up his dishes and dressed for the day. His office was the level below his bathroom. His bathroom was the level below the kitchen and the lounge the level below the bedroom. Each were decorated in different colours and styles. His bedroom was one of the more simple but also ornate with its fireplace incorporating everyone he loved and cared about in steel friezes. His bathroom was cold, clean and rather hospital looking, done in greys, blues and whites. The kitchen was one of the more rustic rooms with its elegant cabinets but rough table and chairs. Designed for comfort and austerity, the kitchen was one of his favorite rooms. While the lounge was decorated with large bookcases documenting anything and everything from every kind of subject, be it magical, muggle or creature. And was coloured in yellows and blues with large, charmed windows that let in lots of light. It was a magnificent room. All in all, the entire tower was simple, elegant and designed to let in as much of the surrounding nature as was possible. His office, unfortunately, was necessarily opulent, here he entertained any official guests who would inquire after him as The-Boy-Who-Lived, Lord Potter-Black or any other of his important titles that he wore with sufferance. It was the only other room with a fireplace, and the only fireplace hooked up to the floo. All in all, Harry thought it showed his alliances to the light perfectly, with a large picture of a red and gold phoenix and the entire room decorated in mahogany, red and gold with leather chairs and a large mahogany desk that dominated the room. It was, Harry found, a necessary evil. As Harry's life was no longer dedicated to out-manoeuvring homicidal maniacs, rather he now spent time evading the most evil invention of all time: paperwork. He had three trays that were charmed to either deliver 'out', 'in' or 'incinerator'. It was a good system to him, he just had to make sure not to incinerate any out going documents. He'd learnt that the hard way.

Night rolled around again and once again Harry spent his time from dusk until midnight soaring through the velvet sky. White, blue, green and purple stars winked above him while the icy landscape glittered below him. Harry found his new life utterly beautiful and calming. Vaining his wings, Harry tilted his world to point at the ground. Folding his wings, Harry plummeted to the rocky bottom below. The wind screamed in his ears as he dropped, eyes watering and heart thudding wildly in his narrow chest, Harry let out a cry of joy and sheer revelry. Green eyes shone as ebony wings snapped out once more, pooling the air beneath them and slowing his decent. Tilting his wings, Harry leveled out and then raced around the base of his mountain, weaving among the trees, laughing with joy.

It was good to be free.

XXX

His life continued thus for another nine months or more. Nothing but his dreams troubled him. Dreams of velvet wings and passionate nights. Thin lips and long fingered hands. Of skin being marked and love shared. Harry sometimes woke up weeping for the sheer want of that life style. He loved his currant life, but he lacked companionship. Sometimes, freedom isn't enough to live on, but his desire was not enough to make him leave. Instead, he found himself impatiently waiting, eyes forever on the western horizon, their emerald depths shining with motions deep enough to swim in. He was waiting. (_Calmly!_) Forever waiting.

XXX

The new day found Harry perched on the top floor of his tower, an empty room of wooden floors and walls. A single rug of black marred the floor, a white furred blanket piled on top. The night was both peaceful and anticipatory. Harry had been waiting for a year or more for this night. Waiting for what, Harry wasn't certain. But something was coming. Something big. Something necessary. Someone that would rock and change his world. Harry grinned.

XXX

He crested the last mountain nervously. He wasn't certain of his reception, it had been five years or more since he'd seen his bond mate. His roostmate. And he'd do anything to get back into Harry's good graces. He beat his inky black wings violently as his eyes absorbed the sight of his tower. It was impressive to say the least. It twisted up from the crest of the mountain, spiraling up like a unicorns horn. The roof was cut away at the top but wasn't in anyway ugly or gash like, instead it opened like a tired maw, welcoming but lazy, hardly dangerous at all. The pale stone gleamed in the moonlight and contrasted with the dark sky, the glittering snow below and the darkly tiled roof; the tower and landscape flowed harmoniously together, charmingly melded into one. Harry'd done a good job, he thought to himself pleased.

He spotted Harry almost instantly as he approached the landing space reserved for Nephilim. He hadn't forgotten Harry's love of flying at night nor the previous necessity of it. The day time during the had been so dangerous for winged beings, even now with muggles and prejudiced wizards the cause of death and accidents it was inadvisable to fly during the day. He flared his wings, slowing his approach and hovered no more than ten meters out, the expression on Harry's face clearer than any photograph he'd ever seen. The jewel bright eyes wide with surprise and joy, the body straining with tension, he flapped his wings once and landed lightly before his bond mate.

"Severus," Harry's voice was tight with a mixture of complex emotions, his green eyes shone with them, shining with unshed tears.

Severus smiled tightly. "Harry, I'm so sorry!" Severus broke, throwing himself at the feet of his bond mate, wings spread in supplication, a clear show of submission and subversion.

"Oh, Sev!" Harry whispered, falling to his knees and wrapping his arms and wings about the older man. "I forgive you. Truly, though, there is nothing to forgive."

Severus lifted his head disbelievingly, meeting Harry's concerned and genuine eyes, he once again broke down. The two wept, tears of joy, loss, broken heartedness, and grief broke the walls around their hearts and cementing the third and last of their bonds. That of a soul bond.

Cleansed of the putrefaction of his soul, caused by bottling up his emotions for the past four years, Severus pulled away from his bond mates arms and wings and stood. Standing tall and proud, he pulled his friend to his feet. With a cheeky grin, Severus ran two steps and threw himself from Harry's Tower. With a joyful cry, Harry joined his roost-mate.

Laughing, the two men chased each other through the air, their eyes shining with an innocent joy, finally regaining that which was stolen from them all those years ago. Shattered hearts healed once more. Gutted minds met their match and challenged once more. Ragged souls found solace in its twin. And two men after years of war, trials and tribulations found their match in someone who not only understood them, but someone who was able to drag them from anything that dogged their steps so unkindly. Two men had finally met their match, and were now, not only free, but healed.

XXX

Harry woke from his slumber languorously, a warm wing was draped over his lower half and a feathered head was tucked under his chin. Legs tangled together, Harry and Severus made an odd sight, particularly since nothing had occurred. Harry smiled gently and threaded his fingers through Severus' hair, gently tugging and weaving the strands of hair through the feathers that adorned his head into unmentionable tangles.

Severus startled awake as he felt yet another tug on his head. Blinking blearily around, he found himself looking into laughing emerald eyes, brighter than his last flames', Harry's eyes spoke of mischief managed. Severus groaned and attempted to card a long fingered hand through his hair only to find his fingers quickly snarled up in the knotted strands. The sudden movement beneath him gave lie to the perpetrator of the unfortunate state of his hair, and it barely took him less than three seconds to catch Harry's ankle and drag him back to their bed on the wooden landing.

Harry laughed as he felt a strong lean hand curl around his ankle and drag him backwards. He was surely going to get it now, he was so dead, and yet he couldn't stop laughing. Meeting Severus irate obsidian eyes, Harry just smirked back at him. A flicker behind those eyes were the only warning he received. Bony fingers dug into his sides, and thus screaming, Harry was tortured all the while trying to escape. The tickle fight lasted half an hour, as Harry was quick to discover that Severus was incredibly ticklish, to the point of incapacitation. It was the most beneficial of findings, one that led to many hours of enjoyment later on. Severus rolled away and meeting his bond mates laughing eyes, sprinted downstairs, trying to escape the green eyed, tickle demon that he called friend and love. Grinning, Harry tore after his friend, laughing hysterically all the while. Leaping in front of the man, Harry led the charge down in to the kitchen, flaring his wings to aid in his flight down the narrow stairs. Severus howled in indignation as the skinny arsed brat overtook him with a well calculated leap. Dashing past the bedroom, then the lounge, Severus couldn't help but note that Harry had fantastic taste when it came to the colour schemes. Below the floor that held the lounge, Severus found Harry seated neatly upon a roughly hewn chair of farm style wood drinking a cup of tea. Merlin knew how he'd managed it, but Severus was impressed.

"Nice place you have here." Severus smiled calmly and innocently, gaining a suspiciously wary look from his companion.

Harry narrowed his eyes, "What are you up to?" He asked.

Severus smiled mysteriously. "Nothing." He replied airily. "But I would like to remind my most august friend and companion that I grew up with the Marauders as my rivals, so punishment for this mornings endeavors may well be harsh."

Harry looked worried. "Don't suppose that an apology is going to cut it?"

Severus laughed and shook his head. He'd gotten over his aversion for the marauders and had happily regaled Harry with tales of his revenge upon the infamous foursome during Harry's sixth year. All the while properly cautioning the boy with warnings of disembowelment and or use as potions ingredients if any of the pranks were used on the student body. Although Harry had managed to wreck some kind of revenge upon the twins on behalf of Severus during the same year, with Severus' permission and blessing.

Harry wriggled on his seat, he was screwed, he knew it. He'd have to seriously suck up in order to skip out on punishment. Deciding his course, Harry leapt up and started to prepare an elaborate breakfast for his friend amd lover as an overture of '_please-don't-kill-me!_' It would hopefully work.

Severus smiled pleasantly as he was treated to a three course breakfast that showed off Harry's talent in the kitchen. After the first mouthful, everything was forgiven. Harry was a _GOD_ in the kitchen! Severus hummed and moaned in happiness as he ate bite after bite. Harry sat there and blushed at the sight of the older man moved beyond words in his pleasure. A sight that drew tantalizing thoughts of other possible movements of wordless pleasure. A thought that made Harry's blush all the more brighter.

Their day progressed well and the two men caught up and talked for most of the day. Both were occasionally caught up in mutual attraction but both felt it was too soon, and instead pushed it away, thinking of their friendship first. As Harry ducked off for half an hour to file a couple of pieces of paperwork, Severus escaped into the lounge where he was awed at the sight of Harry's literary collection. Each book was wafer thin in presentation on the book shelves, with enough spine room to show the title. Harry arrived two hours later, after being caught up in a pile of papers that had very nearly overwhelmed him, and discovered Severus buried under around thirty books on potion making while reading '_Pride and Prejudice_'. It was an interesting sight.

Raising an elegant black brow, Harry eyed the volume cradled in Severus' long fingered hands. "Pride and Prejudice, huh? Never pegged you for a classic's lover."

Severus leapt up, startled. "Harry!" He flushed at being caught reading an Austen novel red handed. "Oh, um, it's not what it looks like!" Severus blushed.

"All I see is a man with sophisticated taste in muggle literature." Harry said, waving a hand airily. But his green eyes shone with amusement at Severus' beet red face.

"Indeed." Severus tried to regain his suaveness, and failing miserably. "Shall we go flying? I feel the need to live down this embarrassing moment." With that the potions master swept from the room, a silently howling green eyed devil following on his heels.

The two men threw themselves from Harry's Tower, the pale stone shining in the moonlight as it did each night and day. The ebony wings brushed each other in flight as the two men soared through the inky sky. Their pale skin contrasting with the velvet twinkling blanket above them. They raced down the mountain, wings flattened to their spines and eyes of obsidian and emerald fixed upon the rocky ground below as they dove straight down. Dangerously twirling they wove in and out of each other in a spiral motion. Wings snapped out, catching the thick night air as the two men pulled out of their insane dive. Floating upwards, Harry and Severus beat out a rhythm to their hearts as they rose up into the night framed by the moon and stars.

Harry smiled gently, peace rising in his chest, filling and swelling within his as he gazed upon his bond mate and friend. He had no idea just how handsome he looked to his friend, rather his attention was stolen and arrested by Severus' own physique and looks. Pale narrow chest, heavily muscled by wild midnight flights. Inky black wings that seemed dully black, but instead were softly shining tipped with darker feather points, they were unmarred by any imperfections as they scooped up the air and propelled Severus through the air. Long, thin boned legs, arms, fingers and toes trailed through the dark sky, Severus' torso and lower legs uncovered, while his hips and thighs were clad in the softest black silk pants. Severus was strong, but not bulkily so, and he flew with an unnatural grace that Harry envied greatly.

Severus watched as a look of peace and contentedness stole over Harry's face, the famous green eyes lit with happiness and calmness. His ebony wings were arched upwards as he wheeled through the air, tipped in the darkest green, his wings shone like black peacock's tail. His petite body, scarred but beautiful was minimally tanned bronze. He was only clad in the lightest of cotton shorts, their race untouched by heat or cold. Long fingered hands reached out in supplication as he swept up and over the crest of the mountain, sending puffs of snow up with each wing beat, causing Severus to chase him happily. Harry was so elegant and handsome, no one, no thing, could compare with him.

The two men chased each other up Harry's Tower and up into the atmosphere. Laughing, fingers twined together and wings tucked away once again. Hanging motionless for mere seconds, the men's bodies were pulled earthward. Clinging to each other, and laughing in sheer delight uncaring for the danger they were in, Severus brushed his lips on Harry's. Breaths hitching, the Nephilim shared their first kisses with each other, delighting in their freedom and happiness. At the very last minute, they separated and caught an updraft, soaring up once more into the air. Harry met his companions obsidian eyes and grinned mischievously. With three hefty beats of his wings, he flew back into his Tower.

Severus followed his friend and slipped in quickly, back winging onto the ledge and with a spin on his feet, caught his bond mate in his strong arms. Wings encircled the two men, as they kissed and reveled in each others presence. Harry wrapped his legs around Severus' waist and tipped backwards, Severus' wings flared and slowed their decent onto the rug and furs. Pinned beneath his lover, Harry pulled Severus into a deep but sweet kiss, tenderly taking lips between teeth and breathlessly dueling with their tongues, simply happy to be together once more. Fingers traced old scars, and down muscles bring them to the edge and back, they teased each other mercilessly, delighting in the shared experience that they could share for the rest of their lives.

As the two men shared the most intimate of experiences, the sky lightened and became threaded with jeweled colors. Lighting up the snowy caps of the mountains sparkling with icy beauty, and spotted with winter aspens, it was a winter wonderland. Birds trilled in joyous harmony, welcoming in the new day, while the animals below emerged from bush and den, blinking owlishly in the new light. The atmosphere was one of casual and natural elegance and true happiness as angels cried out in happiness. All the while Harry's Tower stood tall and strong on the highest peak of all, with it's walls of pale stone, and roof of the darkest blue. Together, Harry and Severus found their freedom, and together, they fulfilled the promise made five years ago during the hot summer nights of Harry's sixth year.

All was well.


End file.
